After the first period of the Washington/Philadelphia game tonight on TSN, Bob McKenzie stated the new Canucks General Manager was very-nearly 100% decided as Mike Gillis. He also stated this was likely to be announced by the end of the week.

Player agent Mike Gillis will be named general manager of the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday, Global BC reported today.

Update 5:55pm PT: On TSN, James Duthie has now stated that this GM appointment is “confirmed” (though Bob McKenzie came short of backing this up as a certainty). There is a Vancouver press conference scheduled for Wednesday morning.

Update 5:57pm PT: The same info from Elliott Pap at the Vancouver Sun.

Update 6:32pm PT: The Canadian Press states definitively that Gillis “has been hired to be the general manager of the Vancouver Canucks.”

Update 6:44pm PT: Matthew Sekeres at the Globe & Mail considers what will likely be a big question at Wednesday’s press conference…

It is unclear what would become of Gillis’s NHL clients, including Canucks captain Markus Naslund, who can become a free agent in the summer, should the agent accept a management position with the Canucks. As of yesterday, the National Hockey League Players’ Association had not received news that Gillis planned to decertify himself, though that process could be left until after he is introduced as the general manager.

Gillis has various other NHL clients as well. No doubt this will be explained right off the bat at Wednesday’s press conference.

Also, another confirmation that this is a done-deal, from Jason Botchford at The Province. Botchford also points out…

His client list over the years has included Markus Naslund, Pavel Bure, the Courtnall brothers, Bobby Holik, Sam Gagner, Pavol Demitra, Mathieu Dandenault, Mike Richter, Mathieu Schneider and many others.

Update 8:56pm PT: Check out Elliotte Friedman at the CBC—the first guy to ask the question that a lot of MSM are likely to be asking (or should be asking) in the coming days…

His apparent ascension to the Canuck throne would suggest his move to the West Coast also allowed him to be closer to Francesco Aquilini. It’s clear now that the Canucks owner had him in mind from the moment Dave Nonis was fired. Gillis undoubtedly worked his way close to the person who mattered most. Obviously, it worked. Did he undermine Nonis? That’s probably something the former GM is asking, too.

_______________*thanks to a KK member for posting the Global TV link in the forum

About Canucks and Beyond

Alanah McGinley has been blogging hockey since 2003 (with a notable gap in time through 2010, kicking it with new baby Lucy while living knee-deep in chaos while reading "parenting for complete idiots" during every spare minute) sharing opinions, rants and not-so-deep thoughts with anyone who will listen.

In addition to writing Canucks & Beyond and helping manage Kukla's Korner, Alanah was one of the founders and co-hosts of The Crazy Canucks Podcast. She has contributed pieces to FoxSports.com and the New York TimesSlapshot blog, as well as other stray destinations in cyberspace.